OT: Are you sending your children back to in person school if given a different option?
I apologize if this topic has already been addressed. My kid’s district allowed parents to vote on in person or virtual learning this upcoming school year. They decided to allow both. The virtual learning is 9 weeks of live, virtual teaching with re-evaluation after that period. The other option is to send them back for full time for in person learning. My wife and I both agree that although we feel that in person in the best way to learn, and we have a very sociable child, we aren’t willing to subject our kid to that risk. I’d like to hear the opinions of other MgoBloggers with relevant experiences and decisions with younger children.
August 16th, 2020 at 2:02 PM ^
That post was almost entirely fact free. It's almost impressive.
I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.
August 16th, 2020 at 2:44 PM ^
Mad Hatter, you are a hack. You state that I did not put forward facts.
So what is not a fact?
1) Look at deaths per million population on the chart I referenced above... the US is not the worst. If NY did not make such cataclysmic decisions early in the outbreak, we would be even better
2) do you suggest that New Zealand didn’t have the most draconian lock downs and didn’t stop spread for 3 months? That is absolutely true
3) do you suggest that NEw Zealand hasn’t seen community spread this week despite those lockdowns? That is a fact as well
August 16th, 2020 at 3:30 PM ^
2. They certainly had draconian measures related to foreign travel. Were the rest of their measures the most draconian? Seems more subjective than fact.
3. They have 13 cases - yes that is community spread, but by no means significant spread. It is fact but without much context. Notre Dame has more active cases than the entire country of New Zealand.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:05 AM ^
Yes. My 5-year-old is starting kindergarten in-person at the end of the month. She has been attending daycare throughout the pandemic.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:12 AM ^
For those of you sending your kids back, especially with no social distancing or mask protocols, good luck with that. Also watch the COVID numbers rise again. You’re fucking everybody for at least another solid three months.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
My daughter's school is mandating masks, not switching rooms for different classes, eating lunch in their rooms, having recess outside on days they can, and using every room in the school as class rooms, including the gym and the cafeteria, to social distance. Your blanket statement is offensive and ignorant.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:47 AM ^
Teldar my daughter’s school is doing similar.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:00 AM ^
It’s still going to be no bueno, even with those precautions. Just watch.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:02 AM ^
If you want to hide in your house forever, you're free to do do. My wife and I want our kids back in the classroom and it isn't a difficult choice. People like you are what's wrong with the world.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:03 AM ^
I’m not hiding. I’m a teacher at a university and we’re going back, for the most part. It’s still not a smart thing to do though. Keep reaching for that rainbow.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:07 AM ^
I completely disagree. We have a kid with special needs. Not being in school has been devastating to him. He's my first priority not you or anyone else.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:24 AM ^
The community at large should be the priority.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:35 AM ^
Our son is easily our first priority, but since our district isn't offering in-person classes, you're safe. Screw him though.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:40 AM ^
Hey JBE, how was that 5-month paid vacation?
August 16th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
No. His son should be his first priority.
August 16th, 2020 at 1:18 PM ^
Should the economic health of the community be factored in?
August 16th, 2020 at 8:11 PM ^
As if educating our kids is not a community priority
August 16th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
I'm not hiding. I'm a teacher at a university..
As a person now 4 degrees into my career, with a lot of interaction with collegiate educators as a consequence---you may be hiding from the real world in a lot of ways. Stepping onto some campuses is sometimes like going to Disney World....fun while you are there sometimes being completely detached from reality.....but eventually you have to come back to earth.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:23 PM ^
So you think everyone should not send their kids back to school and are fucking us by sending their kids back. You believe this so strongly that you are going to go back and teach at a university that is brining everyone back.
So why are you fucking us then? Why have you not resigned in protest.
August 16th, 2020 at 7:28 PM ^
Actually 00, ppl who reply to other's legitimate concerns in a time of worldwide pandemic, 165K & rising dead, in such a rude & insulting manner ARE what's wrong with the world.
LITERALLY!!!
August 16th, 2020 at 9:35 PM ^
Do you think telling parents who want their kids back in school that they "are fucking everyone over for at least another 3 months" is polite? The hell with that. I have 3 kids under 10 years old and a son with special needs. They are my first priority and they need to be in school. I'm sorry that putting my kids first bothers you.
August 16th, 2020 at 7:28 PM ^
Yeah this thread is blowing my mind.
August 16th, 2020 at 8:09 PM ^
Well our kids are more important then you. Just stay in your house.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
I don't have kids, but I'm a HS teacher and we have given similar options to our students. I will be curious to see how it plays out. Based on how last spring played out I'm not sure how much kids got out of remote learning and I'm also not sure how many teachers are effective at teaching that way as most have zero training in it and shouldn't be expected to become proficient at it in such a short time. I fear it will be a challenging year for education. Ultimately however, being there to be supportive for the kids and helping them navigate through this challenging time is more important than any educational content.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:28 AM ^
Yes. She's going back to school.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
Saw a guy riding a motorcycle without a helmet yesterday...
August 16th, 2020 at 7:29 PM ^
Or mask either I bet!
August 16th, 2020 at 11:06 AM ^
My boys are 19 and 15. The oldest is in college so he’s attending on campus.
my youngest is a sophomore in high school. I currently feel comfortable with him going for in person, so I let him choose and he wanted to go back. He knows about the changes that will be enforced and is fine with them.
if anything changes, he can move right over to virtual at any point.
August 16th, 2020 at 12:12 PM ^
We have a delayed start and then it's still up in the air about if it will be hybrid or not. I'm honestly not sure; we'll probably stay virtual but try to have our kids go to one or two socially-distanced events just to see peers, if possible.
August 16th, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
I think you should talk to your pediatrician. It is extremely important to keep your scheduled check-ups.
August 16th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
Sending back. We’re damaging our kids without school. My wife is a teacher and she’s in favor of going back too.
“I cannot do a sufficient job without SOME face to face!”
-My wife
August 16th, 2020 at 12:45 PM ^
We have come to the same conclusion regarding sending our kids back to school. My wife is a teacher too and she feels like it's her duty to be back in the classroom teaching kids. She said that she'd be negligent to her profession and the community, at large, by staying home. Unfortunately, neither her district nor our kids' district is offering face-to-face classes. I think that is a huge mistake.
August 16th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
In person!
August 16th, 2020 at 1:59 PM ^
Daughter started prek last week, been doing great with a mask on the whole time!
August 16th, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
Our local public school has an option to go back but all students are online to start. I didn't think they did a very good job with online learning last year so hope they have used the summer to improve it.
My youngest two attend a private school that starts on Thursday with no online option. They seem to have a pretty good plan and with more buildings and small class sizes we feel okay about it. The online learning seemed much better than our older son had (maybe due to the smaller environment) so am fine if they have to switch to online at some point.
If there was a definitive answer I'm sure the state would issue another mandate one way or the other. Otherwise I think we all have to make a decision based on our comfort level and family situation. It's hard to keep three teenagers locked down, however, I imagine it's an even harder situation for working parents with younger ones.
August 16th, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
Our local public school has an option to go back but all students are online to start. I didn't think they did a very good job with online learning last year so hope they have used the summer to improve it.
My youngest two attend a private school that starts on Thursday with no online option. They seem to have a pretty good plan and with more buildings and small class sizes we feel okay about it. The online learning seemed much better than our older son had (maybe due to the smaller environment) so am fine if they have to switch to online at some point.
If there was a definitive answer I'm sure the state would issue another mandate one way or the other. Otherwise I think we all have to make a decision based on our comfort level and family situation. It's hard to keep three teenagers locked down, however, I imagine it's an even harder situation for working parents with younger ones.
August 16th, 2020 at 7:03 PM ^
Everyone commenting that Europe and SK did so well must have their heads buried in their asses because their cases are rising at a higher rate than here.
August 16th, 2020 at 7:20 PM ^
I'm sending my children and my wife. Two in college, one in eighth grade while my wife teaches high school. She is absolutely behind this 100% and is praying school doesn't get shut down. She saw so many of her students fall behind last semester.
We're also positive that covid went through the schools in Dec and Jan. No one was tested because no one knew it existed. It also went through where I work at the same time.
August 16th, 2020 at 8:02 PM ^
Yes. I would send my kids back. The risk to them is insignificant.
August 16th, 2020 at 9:28 PM ^
Our district went to online to start. We moved our kid to a private school doing in person.
Wife and I work outside the home without an option to be home. And even if we could work at home, there is no way we could work and teach.
Our kids face a bigger risk being home than going out.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:02 PM ^
My kids are out of school.
I told my wife not to go back and teach. She's going to anyway.
They can't control lice outbreaks, I'm sure they'll do just fine with this.
August 16th, 2020 at 10:32 PM ^
We have a 12 year old and the school is offering both in person and all online options. We are keeping him at home, mainly due to my wife’s respiratory issues and being more at risk. It helps a lot that we both work exclusively at home now as well. The school just announced a two week start delay, I suspect they are still working on how to best handle the kids attending school. I doubt they will make it through the fall semester without issues or quarantines. Hope I’m wrong. Anyway in January we get to choose again between the options.
So far my extended family has dodged the COVID bullet. However a couple days ago my wife got a call from a close friend saying her brother was admitted to the hospital with the virus. He died today, at 35 years old.
I’m not looking forward to this fall. Not one bit.
August 16th, 2020 at 11:06 PM ^
I am a teacher and will be keeping my kids home. One of the biggest reasons that I keep hearing to send kids face to face is the return to normal for them, mental health. I promise you, the classroom that kids, especially younger kids, return to will not do much to ease them mentally. Teachers in masks, behind plexiglass, not being able to play at recess with friends in other classes, sitting alone on the bus, most likely being subject to quarantine off and on at some point will provide everything but normalcy. If you truly believe sending your kids to school is going to help them mentally then great, but I hope you do not think it will be anywhere near what it was in February in terms of a face to face experience.
August 17th, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^
I wish AAPS allowed the choice. Washtenaw County meets all of the criteria set out by public health officials to have in person school for elementary students. It's frustrating that they aren't even allowing the choice. On top of it, they aren't saying what metrics need to be met to bring the students back in person.
If allowed the choice, my elementary child would be back in person and my middle schooler would stay home.
August 17th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
We did not get a choice, as our district is all starting remote. When we thought we had he choice, we would have sent our 2nd and Kindergardener to in person. Reasons are as follows:
- Our school is in our neighborhood, where I believe most parents and population have taken this seriously.
- Our kids are comfortable wearing the masks, and will wear the masks throughout the day
- We both work, so at home learning will be difficult. Setting them up, while I work from home, is not ideal for them or me
- Our 2nd grader had a huge reduction a couple months into the pandemic with the lack of socializing. My younger did fine, but my oldest was noticeably a different child
The last one is our major concern, so going in person was important. We are trying to work with some other parents to create pod, to allow some socializing while also distributing the load on parents. We are lucky, as my wife only works 3 days a week with sometimes those days as weekends, and my job has flexibility to work from home occasionally, but I worry about people that don't have these options.
School board had an unenviable task to make a decision. Wish they would have allowed for an in person option.
August 17th, 2020 at 2:54 PM ^
Very good post. You pretty much nailed all the reasons we would like to have our kids back in school as well. Unfortunately, like you, we aren't being given that option.